Possible - New idea for brick cutting table

[Grant JONES]

Re: Possible - New idea for brick cutting table

Thanks Todd. I couldn't work out what sides and cuts were referred to the angle cut and the same for the bevel.
Scoured myself a 14" brick saw last week so the fun is about to begin.

[boylanta]

Re: Possible - New idea for brick cutting table

Hi Grant,
Take a look at the first few entries by MrChipster, in this thread.

I re-posted his picture below.
If you follow his description (also documented in my build), you will see how 3 cuts on a full size brick result in (2) half bricks w/ the proper angle & bevel.

See the attached pic below.
See how the front face it thinner @ the top, compared to the bottom?
I would consider this the bevel cut.

Notice how the top face is thinner in the front, compared to the back.
I would consider this the angle cut.
If you did only angle cuts on the sides, the bricks would fit together perfectly when laying flat. But once you lift the back of the brick, as required for each chain, the bricks would separate again.
Hence the need for the bevel cut.

Regardless of semantics, the combination of those (2) angles allow the bricks to come in contact without there being a triangle-shaped gap between them, which would require mortar.

It sounds complicated.
But try it out w/ a couple bricks.
Dry fit them together and increase the angle by hand, using shims.
It will make sense when you see it.
Hope this helps.

[Grant JONES]

Re: Possible - New idea for brick cutting table

Great Jigs!
Ive been lurking about for some time now (my better half thinks its been far too long wihtout some WFO action) as I go through the process of planning my build. 1000mm (40').
Can I ask please what you refer to with bevel and angle.
I can see why the sides of the brick need to be cut to allow the bricks along side to sit tighter together. Is this what you refer to as the bevel?
What then is the angle cut side and why is it needed.
Sorry for the newbie questions? Just tryin to make the least amount of mistakes possible.
Grant

[tonybaker]

Re: Possible - New idea for brick cutting table

I cut all my bricks with a cheap angle grinder, just a small one, with diamond blade. OK, my bricks are quite soft, but it's handy to be able to use the grinder to take off any bits that get in the way.

[boylanta]

Re: Possible - New idea for brick cutting table

Each dome brick was cut w/ an angle and a bevel.
This ensures an almost mortar-less joint on the inside of the dome.

I cut 1 full brick into 2 angled & beveled bricks by making 3 cuts.

I marked the bricks as 1up, 1down, 2up, 2down to keep track of each brick as I made the cuts.

[boylanta]

Re: Possible - New idea for brick cutting table

Each dome brick was cut w/ an angle and a bevel.
This ensures an almost mortar-less joint on the inside of the dome.

I cut 1 full brick into 2 angled & beveled bricks by making 3 cuts.
e)

I marked the bricks as 1up, 1down, 2up, 2down to keep track of each brick as I made the cuts.

[boylanta]

Re: Possible - New idea for brick cutting table

Wetsaw jig.
The high bevel cut was a later-higher chain.
I removed the angle fence and now held the bricks in place along each line by hand for the correct angle.
One cut is referenced off the front line, the next cut referenced off the back line.
This half brick shows a 2nd cut example referenced off the front line.

[boylanta]

Re: Possible - New idea for brick cutting table

Wetsaw jig.
The high bevel cut was a later-higher chain.
I removed the angle fence and now held the bricks in place along each line by hand for the correct angle.
One cut is referenced off the front line, the next cut referenced off the back line.
This half brick shows a 1st cut example referenced off the back line.

[boylanta]

Re: Possible - New idea for brick cutting table

Wetsaw jig.
The high bevel cut was a later-higher chain.
I removed the angle fence and now held the bricks in place along each line by hand for the correct angle.
One cut is referenced off the front line, the next cut referenced off the back line.

[boylanta]

Re: Possible - New idea for brick cutting table

Wetsaw jig, view from back.
This low bevel cut was early-lower chain.

[boylanta]

Re: Possible - New idea for brick cutting table

Chip,
Thanks for sharing the design & pics.
Here's my version of your design.
This worked incredibly well.
Thanks again.

4 black screws hold back strip in place for proper angle.
Gold screw in left side of plywood base changes pitch of jig to cut proper bevel.

[Pompeii Nate]

Re: Possible - New idea for brick cutting table

Awesome jig Chip! I am glad there are minds like yours on this forum. Great job!

[mrchipster]

Re: Possible - New idea for brick cutting table

The only issue I have with the bolt is that the brick dust seems to get into everything and it might jam up after several brick cuts. even the head of the Philips screw needed flushed out before I could get a screw driver into the head. The hinges even get a little resistant to moving due to the dust.

The advantage of the screw is that it holds the left end of the table down when the brick is weighting the right side and that is important.

Chip

[Gmcollins]

Re: Possible - New idea for brick cutting table

Great idea for a jig. It looks like it works very well. As a suggestion instead of a screw and shims why not use a coarse thread bolt from the bootom up into the 2x6 through a narrow pre-drilled hole. Similar to those adjustable feet on restaurant tables. That way you could just turn the bolt to get the desired slope and it would stay fixed without a shim. If one wanted to invest a bit more time you could use an embedded nut glued into the wood as well. Do you think this might work?

[mrchipster]

Re: Possible - New idea for brick cutting table

The cutting of the bricks then becomes very simple.

1) Set the desired bevel angle on the jig by shimming the upper board to the desired angle. This gets rid of the inverted V's.

2) Set the brick on the left side of the jig so as to remove enough of the right side of the brick to get a full cut on the brick. Make cut #1.

3) Turn the brick over 180 degrees, leaving the freshly cut side on the right.

4) Move the brick to the right to position for cut #2 and make cut #2.

5) turn brick over 180 degrees one more time, leaving newly cut side on the right again.

6) Move brick to the right to position for cut #3. and make the final cut.

You now have two identical dome bricks with 3 cuts.

Note: when cutting bricks into 3's it is advisable to cut both ends off of the brick before making the final brick section otherwise the brick section will be small and hard to hold.

Chip